DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – A dog that was recently brought to a Dorchester County animal shelter with a severe head injury underwent surgery on Monday.

The dog’s head had sustained blunt force trauma, exposing her skull and she was also very thin. She underwent surgery at Central Veterinary Hospital in Summerville. Staff at Dorchester Paws, the shelter that the dog was taken to, said her recovery was going well.

“They cleaned up her wound and they stitched it up so she has quite a few stitches now but she’s recovering nicely and from here she’ll go into our foster program to rehabilitate,” said Jami Bunton, the marketing manager for the shelter.

Staff at the animal shelter named her Xena for her fighting spirit.

Xena was found in St. George. Her owner was issued a citation for negligence by Dorchester County Animal Control but a hearing date has not yet been set.